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‘Person of interest’ in custody in Hancock County couple’s death

A Hancock County man wanted as a 'person of interest' in the deaths of a couple found in a home in upper East Tennessee has been taken into custody, authorities confirmed on Monday.

On Sunday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation put out an active warrant on a charge of kidnapping for 30-year-old Ricky Helmick Jr., who is also as a 'person of interest' in the deaths of his father, Ricky Helmick Sr., 57, and Natasha Riley, 37, near Sneedville.

On Friday, Hancock County Sheriff's Office deputies found the bodies of the elder Helmick and Riley in a home at 1041 Vardy Blackwater Road, after a call came into 911 shortly after 7 p.m. indicating that two people were dead at the home. Their deaths were determined to be the result of a homicide and 3rd District Attorney General Dan Armstrong and the sheriff's office asked the TBI to investigate.

The younger Helmick was taken into custody on Monday morning by the Hamblen County Sheriff's Office.

'We received information that he may have been at a trailer on Broyles Lane,' Hamblen County Sheriff Detective Lt. David Stapleton said.

The sheriff said deputies saw the owner of the home leaving with a passenger and they executed a traffic stop.

'(Helmick) was on the passenger's side,' he said.

Stapleton said TBI agents are interviewing Helmick at their offices. Investigators and sheriff's deputies are also in the process of conducting a search of the mobile home after the owner consented.

'A weapon may be at the house,' he said.

The TBI announced Monday evening that Helmick had been charged in the kidnapping and was being held on $250,000 bond. Details of the alleged kidnapping were not immediately available.

Read or Share this story: https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/crime/2016/04/11/person-of-interest-in-custody-in-hancock-county-couples-death/90893298/